If EMF cannot affect humans then why is is it used to treat mental disorders?

Question

If electrical currents or EMF have no relevance in affecting mood, and perception -then why is it used to treat mental illness?

Answer 1

If you're reffering to biofeed back therapy the reason it is not widely used is because the evidence it actually works is inconclusive. Some evidence points to yes it works and others say it doesn't. Either way its still considered an alternative to the mainstream treatments.

EMFs have been linked to affecting moods and perceptions but only a small percentage experience anything significant. Where EMFs have really hit some controversy is where people live near power plants or major power lines and end up developing brain tumors and other forms of cancer.

EDIT: I read in your other question about EMFs that you were reffering to electro-convuslive therapy. The reason that works is not because of any resonance field being produce by an electronic device. Rather ECT works by hooking you up to wires that directly pump thousands of volts of electricty into your body. The result being your brain and nervous system short curcut -which alters your mood and perceptions.

ECT is used to treat catatonic schizophrenia, major depressive disorder and major depressive personality disorder. It is also only used as a last resort as it permanently damages the brain. While initially only on a minor level, long term ECT can damage your motor neurons (causing permanent shakes and tremors), memory and cognitive ability.

Answer 2

Because the jello PUDDIN', is just the jello in the jello in the jello

-Bill

Answer 3

Electro Magnetic Fields can and do effect human behavior and perception. For example transcranial magnetic stimulation (link below) is used to treat some mental disorders and is being actively investigated.

The strength of the field (as well as the focus) are considerations but so are other factors such as a person's temporal lobe sensitivity. This work has been extensively done by cognitive neuroscientist Michael Persinger (link below).

I am unaware of any long term studies that attempt to correlate common household EM fields (TV, microwave, etc.) with diagnosed mental disorders.

However, a search of a database like Academic Search Premier or PsycInfo (available at your public or nearest university library) might turn up published experiments of this nature.

Psiexploration

Answer 4

I too answered your other question along similar lines.

I'm only answering this one to correct something Acid09 implied.

There is NO EVIDENCE AT ALL that people living near power lines or hydro stations have an increased risk of cancers of any sort.  This has been quite thoroughly debunked by an exhaustive 3 year National Academy of Science review released in 1996, A National Cancer Institute epidemiogy review in 1997, A Canadian long term epidemiological study in 1999, and further in a California

Supreme Court Decision.

The total cost to science to debunk the EMF scare mongers is estimated to be over 25 Billion dollars over 20 years.  That is money that didn't get spent on legitimate research.

Answer 5

EMF sure as h**l can hurt you. Dairy cattle grazing in field where power lines are run will stop or greatly reduce milk production. EMF can and will hurt you if there is great enough intensity for long enough periods.

Answer 6

I answered that in your other question. According to medical studies, EMF can influence the brain but this has only been observed at very high strengths, many millions of times stronger than what we normally encounter in our day to day lives. Also, regarding ECT, there is a huge difference between being exposed to an EM field and being part of an electrical circuit, the former hypothesized to alter cell functioning in various ways while the latter is a gross short-circuiting of the electrical communications in the brain.